Hurricane Gil Upgraded from a Tropical Storm

On Wednesday, July 31, tropical storm Gil has now been upgraded and is officially Hurricane Gil. This is according to a recent bulletin issued by the NWS National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

Hurricane Gil is located a little over 900 miles or 1,505 km off the southern tip of Baja, California. It has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/hour), with some higher gusts, and it is presently moving in a West Northwest direction at 12 mph (19km/hour). Some slight strengthening is expected within the next 24-36 hours. According to the bulletin, this motion is expected to continue for the next 24-48 hours.

Hurricane force winds extend outward for up to 25 miles or 35 km from the center or eye of the hurricane.Tropical storm force winds extend even further, up to 60 miles (95 km).

There are currently no watches or warnings that have been issued for coastal regions, but if Hurricane Gil starts approaching land, that will likely change.

There are currently no hazards to the coastal areas that might conceivably be, in the future, in the path of Hurricane Gil, but that assessment is subject to change if the hurricane heads towards land.

For a tropical storm to be upgraded to a hurricane, it must have sustained winds of more than 74 mph.

Gil was first established as a tropical depression on July 30 when it was well off well to the southwest of the Mexican coast. Then, it had winds gusting no more than 30 mph. Later on in the day the depression was officially upgraded to a tropical storm when winds increased to near 40 mph. Gil became a much more organized tropical storm rolling through the Pacific by that evening.

Tropical storm Gil has now become Hurricane Gil after it was upgraded. There will be updates of the hurricane’s progress as more information becomes available.